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After the crew first decides to go back to Terra, Kanashii says she can get passengers and cargo to Vilani space that will pay a lot more than any run towards Terran space. Ben says yes, unaware that the Terran/Vilani border has been closed. Before they leave, one of the cargo handlers they hired to help with the luggage is found dead, but no one has any reason to suspect anyone on board The Sparrow. Ben's suspicions are roused, however, and when he asks Kanashii, he suspects she doesn't tell him everything.

During the fisrt attempt to go off, the ship almost gets sucked into a miniature black hole due to a calculation error in navigation, but makes it and goes back to make repairs. A few days later they make the jump into Vilani space.

In jump space, Kanashii says she knew about the closed border but was afraid Ben would say no to making the run if he had known. Ben acknowledges she was probably right. She talks them through the border, but landing for repairs gets Julie into another unpleasant situation with some racist Vilani dock workers. In an attempt to protect her, Ben, Rory and Steven get into a fight where Rory has to tote his gun to put a stop to it. Spaceport police authorities advise Rory to lock his gun in, and Julie not to go outside the ship unaccompanied. There is one other, smaller incident, but Rory puts himself in respect rather quickly.

On the way deeper into Vilani space, another mistake is made with navigation, and the ship nearly jumps into a sun. Rory, Ben, and Thomasz are badly burned and temporarily blinded (except Thomasz, whose eyes are actually ruined by the light passing through his glasses). Ricky treats the burns, but they have to stay in Vilani space a lot longer than planned, to make repairs.

The Sparrow goes back to Nusku, and from there back to Terra. Thomasz gets his ruined eyes replaced with new biothech eyes.